About

settings.ini

name

= David Levai

role

= Product Engineer & Fractional CTO

location

= Canada

experience

= 10+ years shipping digital products

focus

= Systems Architecture, product engineering, user experience, day to day AI-based workflows

Full-stack Product Engineer building modern, production-ready apps for companies and myself.

Over the past decade, I’ve worked with small to mid-sized companies as a full-stack product engineer and fractional CTO. Since my teenage years, I’ve helped companies craft and evolve their digital presence: websites first, then native applications and full product ownership. I now set the technical direction and write the critical parts when delivery needs it. I like building as much as planning.

Most of my engagements are direct collaborations with founders and lean teams who need senior-level judgment without unneeded bureaucracy. AI tools are part of my normal workflow, but I still own the decisions, tests, and code that ships. The goal is to ship useful software quickly while keeping the system understandable, maintainable, and low complexity.

Before going independent, I co-owned and ran operations at ScreamingBox, a ~150-contractor US product agency. Over two years as COO, we took margins from 18% to 48%. That’s where I learned how much delivery depends on the business around it.

Since March 2025, I’ve also been Fractional CTO for The Energy Network Worldwide, working on its Raterflow energy-inspection platform. I also mentor engineers and technical founders through MentorCruise; the profile is 5.0★ across 3 reviews.

how i work

• Hell yeah, or no. I take on work I’m genuinely excited about. That’s how I can commit to it fully.
• Architecture first, then hands on keyboard. I set the technical direction, write down the trade-offs, and then build the critical parts myself instead of handing over a diagram.
• Ship early, ship often. Small, reversible releases beat big launches. Each one should leave the product working and the system easier to change.
• Boring where possible, sharp where it matters. Managed platforms and proven tools for the commodity parts, so the time goes into what makes the product different.
• AI with oversight. I use AI agents every day to move faster, with tests, reviews, and confirmation steps in place so speed doesn’t turn into risk.
• Decisions in writing. Context, options, and consequences get documented, so the team can understand and challenge them later. Some are public in the decision log.
• Direct and async-friendly. I work best directly with founders and lean teams, with short feedback loops and clear ownership.